Extract from Report of Parliamentary Industries Committee on Forestry.

Progress, Volume XV, Issue 1, 1 September 1919, Page 602

Extract from Report of Parliamentary Industries Committee on Forestry.

The committee makes the following recommendations on forestry:— (1) That there shall be established a Department of Forestry, which will be separate from and not subsidiary to any otheir Department of State, and that it shall be the duty of that Department to determine what lands shall he permanently set aside as forest reserves; also that provision be made ensuring continuity and permanency of policy far definite periods of years, as has been done in New South Wales. (2) That at the earliest moment a scientifically trained expert shall be appointed as Chief Forester; that one of his first duties shall be to determine for the whole of New Zealand what Crown lands, whether bush or open land, shall be set apart for forest reserves; and, further, where necessary and in districts where insuffieieht Crown lands are available, he shall recommend the resumption of areas of private land for the above purpose. Land once reserved for forest proposes shall he inalienable for any other purpose, except by Act of Parliament. The committee recognises that mice the forester is appointed other reforms will follow, including the organisation of the Department. • / (3) That immediate steps be taken to bring about a great speeding-up in the planting of quick-growing exotic trees, especially those suitable for butter boxes, cheese crates, and fruit and other, packing cases. Wherever practicable these trees should be planted near consuming centres. (4) Owing to.the diversity of opinion that exists as to the rate of growth of our native tr&es, it is

important that immediate steps be taken to settle beyond dispute what is the increment volume per acre per annum of timber produced by the timber trees in our native forests growing Under forest conditions. (5) Referring to the export timber, and having regard to the conditions already referred to under which this country may before many years be dependent on foreign supplies, the placing of restrictions upon export is regarded as an imperative necessity. (6) While the making of adequate provision for our future timber-supplies is of the utmost importance, other aspects of foresty should not be overlooked. One of these aspects is water and stream-flow conservation. It is therefore • recommended that lands at the head of and forming the catchment areas of rivers should be permanently reserved as forest areas in order to assist in preventing erosion and flooding, and at the same time conserving the flow of water for all purposes. It is also recommended that our forest policy of the future should include planting for climatic treasons, more particularly in the larger valleys or gullies which penetrate our mountain ranges in the driest areas of the Dominion. (7) That as soon as practicable a Chair* of Forestry be established in one of the university colleges. In this connection the committee is pleased to note that the late Mr. T. W. Adams, of Gfeendale, Canterbury has left a handsome bequest to the Board of Governors of Canterbury College towards the establishment of a school of forestry in connection with that institution. ” (8) That in order to encourage local bodies particularly to afforest catchment areas in connection with their water supplies, and provide at the same time timber suitable for general requirements, financial assistance by way of subsidy, based on the acreage planted, should be given to local authorities for the planting of trees approved by the Forestry Department. - ' (9) That a seed store for the supply of forest seeds true to name and of the most approved varieties, as promised by the Government more than a., year ago, be established without further delay. (10) That efforts should be made to educate public opinion ‘as to the value of forests, and the necessity of preserving them from destruction by fire ; and with that object the Forestry Department should undertake propaganda work by means of notices in public places, bulletins, and illustrated lectures, while educative work should, be done in the public schools.